Historical Redundancies
by past-the-pacific
Summary: Kakashi always believed that history had a way of repeating itself, and he secretly feared for Team 7 noting similarities between them and the Sannin. But he never considered the notion that Sasuke might follow in his footsteps.
1. Chapter One

Sasuke woke up at five in the morning, the same way he had everyday since he was eight years old. He made his bed and boiled hot water for tea. Then, he read mission reports as he waited for a certain lazy-ass to wake up. At seven-thirty, Kakashi usually showed up, although that day, he was late.

"Yo" the older man greeted an irate Sasuke with a grin, heading straight for the fridge. He doesn't wear his mask anymore to the joy of his goddaughter, Kurenai's brat, who has a bit of a crush on him (along with half the female population of Kohona). Kakashi can hide his advancing age well.

"You're late" Sasuke mutters half heartedly, and stood up.

"I got lost on the road of life" Kakashi answered with a shrug. Sasuke rolled his black eyes.

"You used that one last time" he grumbled, but flashed a tiny grin. He'd learned how to smile in the years since Naruto brought him back.

"C'mon, let's go"

Kakashi closed the fridge, biting into a dark red apple.

"You gonna wake the kid first?" he asked casually, pointing upstairs.

"Nah," Sasuke grinned, "I need to stop coddling him. He's a Chuunin now, after all." he added boastfully and pulled on his Jounin jacket. Kakashi rolled his eyes as he hopped out the window, muttering about ninjas gone soft and Sasuke smirked.

"So Kakashi," he drawled a little way down the cobblestone street, "How's Anko been?" Kakashi stiffened.

"What do you mean?" the other man mumbled as they walked along the street, head buried in that same book he's been reading for almost twenty years. Sasuke just snickered but didn't feel like teasing him today. A curvy Chuunin he recognized vaguely smiled as she passed, batting her long eyelashes at him. He blinked at her and gave a slight nod. Kakashi snorted.

"Shut up" Sasuke growled, making a mental note to beat the shit out of him during a sparring match later. They continued on in silence. As they passed through the market place the Uchila stiffened slightly. Most had accepted him as a permanent part of their village but there were still some who spat when he walked by. Kakashi came a little closer to him, tensing slightly. Sasuke rolled his eyes but allowed Kakashi to be stupid. They were the last members of Team 7.

Sasuke passed a shop window and caught his reflection in it. He's thirty-one years old and hasn't changed much except for his right eye is a blind milky white. He is a traitor three times over, a liar, a Jounin, a sensei, a Sage, and a father. And he is changed. He is still young, but has gone through far more than most ninja; his life having been ripped apart several times, his soul shredded into tiny bits. Older and wiser now, he has long since realized that yes; he was a stupid idiot who wrecked his own life. Funny though, how he found salvation in the green eyes of an orphaned child.

…

The Memorial Stone has gotten bigger, Sasuke mused. He's not quite sure when, even though he's been coming to this spot for the last twelve years. Kakashi was right behind him, head buried in that stupid orange book. Sasuke realized awhile ago that the Copy-Nin reads it now only in tribute to the dead man who wrote it. He brushed that thought away and focused on the names carved in the blue stone. He traced them gently, feeling guilt course through his veins like a slow-working poison.

Uzamaki Naruto, ANBU Capitan KIA

"_Sasuke!"_

_The missing nin doesn't even turn around._

'_Leave me alone. I am never coming back.'_

_He can't feel them anymore. Their chakra used to be so familiar to him, and now, he can't even recognize Karin's. But he still knows Theirs. Why is that? Why?_

"_Sasuke?" whispers Karin "Sasuke, his chakra, it's-" he's shoves her away roughly. "Go!" he snarls, "Run away now while you still got the chance!" She looks stunned and Suigetsu opens his mouth but Sasuke cuts him off._

"_Damnit I told you to leave! They only want me; you can still make it out! Now GO!" Suigetsu hesitates but he's too far gone to stay. He slips into the woods with an awkward nod. Karin begins to cry and throws her arms around Sasuke. He lets her for a moment just because it feels nice to be touched, but shoves her away again. She stumbles away into the woods after Suigetsu and Sasuke, deep down, hopes they'll be okay. But Jugo won't leave. Sasuke shakes his head yet doesn't bother. The freak's just like-_

"_SASUKE!" _

_And then Naruto is there, his blue eyes burning and heart on his sleeve, Sakura right behind. They stop at the clearing, the dog-boy, two Hyuugas, Kakashi and some people he can't be bothered to remember. Sasuke considers running, but sensing others coming from Kohona's gates, decides that would be suicide. 'I'm sorry Itachi' he thinks._

"_Do you ever quit?" he says aloud, devoid of emotion._

"_Never!" Naruto shouts "I'm gonna drag you back this time!"_

_Sasuke laughs at this, hard and loud as Jugo steps forward._

"_Kuku kuku I don't think so, but you can try. It's fate after all, Senju" Sasuke laughs enjoying the wince on his (__best friend)__ enemy's face "Look we're even in the right place!" he adds with a smirk, gesturing towards the Valley of the End. The look on Naruto's face is almost painful but the Uchila brushes it off. Sakura glares at him, and for the first time in his life, he sees hate in her green eyes and that shocks him. The girl touches Naruto's arm with a soft look and everything clicks. Something snaps in Sasuke and he's furious because( __they don't need him anymore) __they've forgotten him, and nobody ignores an Uchila and gets away with it. He motions to Jugo and they attack._

_It's glorious and beautiful, the way they fight and Sasuke is glad that the last thing he will ever see is Naruto's furious face because he knows he won't make it out of this alive._

_Jugo is putting up a fight but not even at level two can he beat both Kakashi and Sakura. "C'mon Sasuke, don't do this" Naruto pleads, blood dripping from his mouth "Danzou and Madera are dead, you can come back now!" Sasuke doesn't even bother to answer and fires up a Chidori instead. Naruto sighs, and says something to those stupid frogs on his shoulders and they disappear, looking a bit wary._

"_Fine, we'll just have to do this the hard way," he mutters and his palm alights with a simple Rasengen that's so strong, Sasuke can feel the chakra from twenty feet away. He considers uses Susanoo again but he's got nothing left for something that strong. His vision blurs for a moment but he ignores it. Suddenly, pain flashes across Naruto's face and he gasps, hand going for his stomach. Sasuke takes this chance and slams his jutsu into the other's stomach. Naruto's resounding howl shreds his eardrums._

"_Bastard!" he hears Sakura shriek, but he can only gape at Naruto. A rushing sound fills his ears and he thinks he might actually faint._

"_I. . .Ita. . .chi?"_

_A pair of Sharingan eyes are swirling out at him. Naruto looks surprised and wipes the blood from his mouth._

"_What is this?" he whispers, sounding awed "I can see what you're gonna do!"_

"_Naruto?" he whispered. Suddenly, everything turns upside and Sasuke knows where he is but simply can't believe it. Naruto doesn't have the Sharingan so how can he be in Tsukiomi? Sasuke hates that place. It confuses him, and makes him think that maybe, the sky isn't blue, that the grass is white and that villains are really heroes._

"_Sasuke" a voice whispers to him and Itachi is there. Sasuke is frozen._

"_Little brother, listen to me. I know you will defeat me, I've already planned it. But I know you will try to seek revenge for me if Madera tells you. Please don't. I realize now, what I did was foolish. I should have just taken you and ran. But I didn't and we must both live with my decision. The jinchuuriki would kill to bring you back to the Leaf. He is your friend and such a friend should not be thrown away lightly. I ask you one thing; go back to the village I gave everything to protect and rescue it from destruction. Danzou might be dead by the time you get this, but if not, destroy him. He is a monster and you and your friends must bring the Leaf back to its former glory. Please, brother, I ask you this." Sasuke feels a gentle poke on his forehead. "Sasuke, I believe in you" and with that he was gone. Sasuke is back at the valley again, feeling like he just got hit by a train. Naruto stares at him, confused and senses something's changed because he's so damn perceptive when it comes to Sasuke._

"_Sasuke? You finally got your sense back?" the blond grins weakly. Sasuke almost smiles and takes the others hand. Naruto pulls him up and everything is perfect for a moment as he stares into the other's serene blue eyes. But of course, nothing good lasts forever. Naruto's eyes turn to slits and he falls to the ground, twitching and moaning. Stunned Sasuke shouts for Sakura and bends down. A ball of red chakra blasts him backwards and burns his skin. He can hear the ANBU from the cliffs edge curse and shout; but it's too late. Everything is scarlet for a long moment and Sasuke wishes it would last forever because he doesn't want to see what he's lost this time._

_When it clears, Sasuke feels fear for the first time since he saw Naruto and Madera fight. A colossal fox that defies physics is standing atop Naruto. He has to crane his head back to see the head. Nine tails( __of course) __wave gracefully in the breeze. It's so beautiful and terrible Sasuke has to look away. Instead he crawls toward Naruto and clutches his dead body as the fox raises its head and lets loose a howl so loud he thinks he'll go mad. The fox growls and is perfectly still for a long time. Then, slowly, it lowers its great head and stares at Naruto. Frozen, Sasuke stares into its huge red eyes, until it simply leaves with a great sigh. His vision falters at last and a great wave of terror washes over him as everything goes black. . ._

"Lord Hokage? Lord Hokage!" came a loud voice, Sasuke looked up annoyed.

"Oi Kakashi" he said "Duty calls, Hokage" The Rudiakume looked up, confused.

"Eh-oh! Hello!" he said cheerfully, smiling at the young genin and sneaking the book back in his pocket "Need something kid?"

The brown-haired boy looked scared and rubbed his glinting forehead protector..

"Uh, s-s-sir, the uh council is uh w-waiting for y-you sir." He stammered.

"Oh shit!" Kakashi cursed "Thanks kid. Hey Sasuke what's this meeting about?!"

Sasuke sighed and rolled his eyes.

"The renewal of the peace treaty with Iwa. It's rather important and it would be a good idea if you arrived there before the ambassador leaves" he snorted. Kakashi glared at him and sniffed.

"No need to be so snippy Uchila. Remember I can always demote you" he growled before bounding away. Sasuke laughed and stood up, brushing the dirt off his pants and grinned at the boy.

"That man would forget where he lived if he didn't have me to remind him" he grumbled before turning his attention back to the stone. Sasuke's eyes were drawn immediately to the other name.

Haruno Sakura, Head Medic Nin

He sighed softly and he missed her horribly. He could never forgive himself for (loving what she did) taking what she loved. The wind tossed his hair playfully and he stiffened afraid to hope it was who he thought it was. Sasuke closed his eyes but nothing happened. With another sigh, he trudged down the hill leaving the poor kid looking totally creeped out.

…

"Sensei you were almost late today!" Tukiko giggled. Sasuke couldn't hold back a grin at her. She was a girl from a family of merchants who traveled the lands. Her grandfather had been reluctant of letting her become the first ninja of her tribe but her mother convinced him. Tukiko was too beautiful, delicate and naïve to be a ninja, he complained at first to Kakashi; looking at her now, he still wondered but he had been wrong. She was cunning and had a frightening way of twisting words to fit what she wanted. Her aptitude for learning jutsu was startling and she craved to know everything, and she couldn't convince someone, she could always use her beauty. Sasuke would be worried about her if it wasn't for her kindness.

"I am never late Tukiko" he smirked, yanking her black ponytail. Rai snorted and his dog barked.

"Yeah sensei, you might never be late but _he_ always is" the Inuzuka complained, shaking his dark red hair out of his silver eyes. Sasuke rolled his eyes. The boy was a good student but definitely had authority issues. He challenged Sasuke often, but could still be cowed by a legendary Uchila glare. Rai was still a much better kid than either he or Naruto was at thirteen.

"Calm down Rai, he'll be here any minute now." Sure enough-

"Sasuke why the hell didn't you wake me up?!" came an outraged cry. The Uchila didn't even bother to turn around.

"Nice to see you could finally join us Naruto" he answered leaning against the bridge. The blond boy was panting hard as he ran up to his team. His blond, spiky hair was even messier than usual and his green eyes still looked sleepy. Rai grinned and stopped flicking pebbles off the bridge and at his disgruntled teammate.

"Oi, stop ya bastard," he grumbled as he pulled on his black jacket. Sasuke held back a laugh. Naruto was just like his father.

"_Please, Sasuke, I beg you. If anything happens to me, you must take care of him. You're the only one I could ever trust to take care of my baby. Besides, you owe Naruto. And if that can't convince you well, you need him just as much you need me."_

A/N: Eh, it wasn't very good was it? Didn't make much sense, but there's gonna be another chapter. This was supposed to be more SasuNaruish with a lot of NaruSaku but it came off as SasuSaku. Please review, this is my first fanfic in a looong time and I need help!


	2. Chapter Two

Sasuke watched his team with a smile. Naruto and Rai were fighting over which one had a cooler jutsu. Naruto of course, was a master already with Rasengen although he had to learn it mainly by himself since although Sasuke had seen it _many_ times and had copied it with his Sharingan he couldn't use it (and the memories were too much). Rai preferred using simple but destructive techniques that involved explosions and his dog, Sachi as well as Chidori. The Uchila had tried to teach the other two the same jutsu, but Naruto did not have the proper elements to use it (although more than enough chakra to) and Tukiko nearly died the first time she tried. Sasuke (no, he was not terrified when he saw her body crumpled in heap) refused to let her try again. Tukiko was yelling at the two of them to stop and they immediately shut up. Sasuke stifled a chuckle. The two friends were in love with the pretty girl, although she was infatuated with Sasuke (to Kakashi's amusement).

"_You're pregnant?"_

_Sakura nods, her face carefully blank._

"_Four months."_

"_And who may I ask," Sasuke purrs, his voice deadly "Did you fuck days after the man you supposedly loved died?!"_

"_Naruto is-," she whispers and breaks. Sakura cries for the first time in weeks and Sasuke holds her tentatively, unsure and awkward._

"_He was going to marry me," she hiccups and Sasuke (guiltily) seethes._

_. . ._

"_Isn't he the most beautiful baby you've ever seen?" Sakura cooed, cuddling the wrinkly, red thing in her arms, with a tuft of blond hair already sticking up._

"_What are you gonna name him?" Ino smiles. She helped deliver the baby and Sasuke wasn't quite sure what he would have done without her._

"_Naruto" she answers as if it's the simplest thing in the world, "Naruto Haruno."_

_. . ._

"_Unca Saskay I want mommy! Why she not home yet?" the toddler asks tugging on his favorite babysitters pant leg. Sasuke picks him up._

"_I don't know kid, but she will be soon," and tosses him up in the air. The newly minted Jounin can't hold back a smile as Naruto's shrieks of joy fill Sakura's apartment._

"_Naruto baby, I'm back," a weak voice calls from the kitchen, and Naruto's face lights up. He runs full tilt for his mother as Sasuke follows at a slower pace. He arrives to see Naruto now attached to Sakura's leg, excitedly telling her all about his day._

"_You're teaching him how to throw shuriken?" she asks raising an eyebrow. He shrugs._

_Sakura laughs, but something is off. Her skin is too pale and her chakra seems different._

_. . ._

"_I love you Sakura." He says, a year later, completely out of the blue_

"_No you don't," she answers, just as bluntly._

"_Of course I-" he begins, angry, but she cuts him off._

"_It's not me you're in love with," Sakura says with a soft whisper, "You can't love the living while you yearn for the dead." And she turns away as Sasuke curses his heart._

_. . ._

_He knows even before he hears Naruto wailing like a banshee. She has been so strange for a long time and even as he holds a weeping Naruto and stares at the body, slumped over a chair, he can't believe it._

"Hey Sensei!"

"Excuse me, Sasuke-sensei?"

"Oi Sasuke!"

_. . ._

_His eyes are wild and his Sharingan spins (even though he's not supposed to use it)._

"_Kill me Kakashi," he rasps and outstretches his hands. The man can only gaze at him with pity in his one dark eye._

"_It's my fault they're d-dead," Sasuke moans "I as good as killed Naruto and she couldn't live without him."_

"_Sasuke, she died of leukem-" the Hokage begins, looking exhausted, but Sasuke doesn't believe him._

"_Why won't you?" he demands, "I'm trash!"_

"_Because you're the only one I have left." Kakashi says, his voice quiet._

_. . ._

_It's not raining at the funeral, but the sky is grey and overcast, a far cry from the sunny day she died. Four year old Naruto is clutching Sasuke's hand, but he won't cry. In fact, he hasn't spoken since his mother collapsed three days ago. Sakumi Haruno approaches Sasuke with a glare on her sallow face._

"_Uchila," she nods stiffly. He stares at her blankly and pulls Naruto closer to him._

_She waits for him to answer but he refuses._

"_I want my grandson."_

_He feels a snarl building up in his throat._

"_Never. She left him to me," he manages to get out. Technically, Ino and her husband Shikamaru were supposed to help raise him too, but that was a minor detail._

"_You aren't even a ninja," he adds, "How could you raise the son of two of the most powerful Leaf Nin in history?" The older woman narrows her brown eyes._

"_You refused to speak with her after you found out she was pregnant with the village pariah's child anyway, why do you want him now?" he questions. He hasn't spoken this much in ages. He is terrified of losing Naruto (his almost son), they need each other._

"_Let him chose," she finally says as her scowling husband approaches. Sasuke kneels down and whispers to Naruto:_

"_Hey bud, how's it going?" The kid's huge emerald eyes are frightened, "Thought so. Well, this lady here is your grandma and she wants you to go live with her. Do you want to?" Naruto's eyes get even bigger and he throws himself at Sasuke._

"_Don't make me leave Saskay, please, I wanna stay with you, I miss mommy but I want to stay with you and Kashi and Ino and Shika and Hina and Jugo-"_

_Sasuke smirks at Sakumi. He picked Naruto up._

"_Alright, well, I think we've got the situation figured out," he shoots Sakura's mother the most stunning smile he has, before walking off. __With__ his son._

Sasuke was doing that weird thing again where his eyes got that far off look and his face got all tense. Naruto sighed.

"I'll wake him up guys." He pulled out some shuriken and chucked about twenty at his foster father. Sasuke suddenly leapt out of the way and shot a Raikon at him instinctively. Naruto flash-stepped* out of the way.

"Jeez Sasuke chill!" he muttered. Sasuke had been acting like that for a while but he and his team knew it probably wasn't a good idea to ask him about it. All powerful ninja were at least a little crazy; Sasuke after all was at kage level. 'Course, he was a traitor too, but was totally loyal to Kohona now.

"I apologize." Sasuke said formally, his voice oddly raspy. It was making Tukiko get that dreamy look on her face. Naruto frowned. He was a Chunnin now and had grown three inches during the summer and she _still_ thought of him as a just friend! At least Rai wasn't having much better luck. Sometimes he wanted to just give up, but then she would smile at him and he'd get lost in her big brown eyes and her chest! No thirteen year old should have that kind of figure and be that skinny too!

"That's enough for today, get here tomorrow at nine, we have a B-rank escort mission," Sasuke said, and, shoving his hands in his pockets, walked away. Rai immediately converged on Tukiko.

"So Tukiko," he grinned, trying to make his already deep voice raspier, "I heard about this new pla-"

"Sorry," she cut him off "My grandfather's in town and still wants me to quit being a ninja and get married already."

"WHAT?!" Naruto and Rai both screeched. Tukiko shrugged, pulling her long ebony hair out of its up do.

"He can't do that!"

"Yeah, you're way too young!"

"That's the way merchant clans do it," she said casually, "So I'll see you two later!" she added brightly, ruffling Rai's red hair and shooting a smile at Naruto that made his heart skip a beat like a scratched CD.

"Huh, weird," the Inuzuka muttered before turning to his best friend, "So you ready?"

Naruto grinned evilly. Rai strangely didn't look too happy.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Naruto frowned. Rai sighed.

"I'm not so sure you know? I mean, I know Kakashi-sama is like practically you're uncle and we won't get in too much trouble for using the scrolls-"

"If we get caught," Naruto cut in.

"-if we get caught, but have you ever thought about what might really be in those scrolls?" the boy said anxiously, "Like, my uncle Kiba says there's supposedly a bunch of secret history in them that nobody except the Hokages are supposed to know."

Naruto stared at him blankly.

"Um, that's the point you idiot," he snorted, rolling his green eyes. Rai sighed.

"Whatever, you're the one who's going in there anyways," he muttered, leaning against Sachi.

Naruto could barely hold back a giggle. He might have been a trained deadly, emotionless ninja who had killed many shinobi, but he was still a kid and absolutely adored pranks. "Just like your father," Iruka-sensei had said. Naruto smiled. He wanted to be just like his father. Everyone told him stories about how great his dad was and how amazing his mom was. Well, everyone except Sasuke. He just got the sad look on his face and wouldn't talk for a couple of days. Idly, he wondered why as he cast his (flawless) transparency jutsu. Rai waved him forward. Naruto raced past the guards a little too fast maybe, but he couldn't keep his chakra hidden forever and snuck up the stairs of the tower. Kakashi was in a meeting with a bunch of boring old people so this plan was so gonna work! He knew exactly where the scrolls where and it was surprisingly easy to get them.

He hesitated before he left and opened one. Naruto knew he shouldn't, but one of the reasons he had come up with this plan was to find out how his father died. Everyone just said stuff like, the seal just randomly broke and he died. Naruto did at first have a problem with his father being a jinchurriki but after an upset Sasuke nearly kicked him out of the house for being prejudiced, he got over it. Now he thought it was kinda cool in a weird way. Gaara always told him great stories about him and his dad during the war and how they used their powers. He hero-worshipped the Kazakage but every time Gaara came to the village or he and his team went to Suna, Gaara always tried to kill Sasuke for some reason and his wife and sister had to hold him back. Which was weird. So he wanted to know _why_ and if nobody was gonna tell him, Naruto was just gonna have to find out for himself. But as his emerald eyes scanned down the scroll and the shadows lengthened, he wished he hadn't had such a horrible curiosity. Rage such as he had never known before filled his veins, and he threw the scroll on the ground and snarled out a curse.

. . .

Sasuke sighed and kicked the ground. He hated days like these; when Naruto's eyes got too much like Sakura's and he acted to much Naruto. He was happy, with Kakashi, his team, Ino, Juugo, Hinata, Neji and Shikamaru but sometimes it just wasn't enough. He needed Sakura and Naruto, needed them like air. He never realized how much until they were dead and it was too late to tell them. Just like with Itachi. A snap startled him. His head shot up, eyes narrowing suspiciously. The forest looked too serene and beautiful with the sun shining through the trees and the grass too green. Someone was there. And just like that he knew. A smile crossed his face.

"You two can come out you know," he grinned.

Silence.

"Fuck Sasuke, nothing gets past you," a voice laughed and Suigetsu stepped out. He is older but the look suits him, his sword still strapped to his back.

"Nice to see you too," the Uchila smirked and leaned against a tree, "You and Karin split up?" Suigetsu laughed again.

"Hardly." he raised his voice. "Oi Karin, I found him and he hasn't tried to kill me yet!" Sasuke whirled around and there she was. And did she look amazing.

"Well, well Karin. You certainly look . . . different," he eyed her still gorgeous legs and her now grown out hair. Suigetsu hissed softly. Sasuke stopped and stared at them, confused.

"Wait, are you two. . ."

Karin giggled and held up her left hand where a decidedly fancy ring was firmly positioned on her fourth finger.

"Five years. He was too scared to ask me." Sasuke threw back his head and laughed. After he stopped chortling, he found the two staring at him looking terrified.

"What?" he growled.

"You just . . . laughed." Karin said, sounding awed. Sasuke sighed. He forgot he used to be so moody.

"What the hell happened to you?" Suigetsu asked bluntly.

"Adopted my best friends kid," he answered. Karin nodded wisely while the swordsman just looked confused.

"So what happened to Juugo?" Karin asked, worry in her red eyes. Sasuke withheld a smile.

"Got married four months after we were taken back to Kohona to the Hyuuga heiress."

"_What_?!" they both shrieked in unison. He grinned.

"It was really cute actually," he smirked, "She could shut down his chakra easily to stop the seal's affects while a medic team tried for weeks to get rid of it before succeeding. One thing led to another and next thing we knew, they had eloped."

Karin giggled and squealed like a little girl as Suigetsu bared his sharp teeth in a grin.

"So what are you two doing here?" the Uchiha asked, running a scarred hand through his black hair. Suigetsu looked a bit embarrassed.

"Well, we- we wanted to see you two again," Karin confessed awkwardly, shuffling her feet, "We heard a few months after that you're . . . friend the jinchurriki-"

"_Don't_ call him that," snarled Sasuke, his eyes narrowing into slits. Suigetsu raised his head and his hand moved toward his sword for a fraction of a second.

"Naruto," Karin said firmly, glaring at her ex-teammates, "That Naruto died during your fight when his seal broke which I tried to tell you!" she huffed. Sasuke nodded, relaxing slightly.

"And that you and Juugo were taken back to the village, nearly executed, but saved by the Hokage." She finished.

"We could learn nothing after that," Suigetsu added, "So we decided that enough time has passed and we could come and find you without being killed."

"We've been watching you for several days," Karin smiled smugly. Sasuke rolled his eyes but was oddly pleased to see them. Maybe it was because they reminded him of-

"You could have used a henge at least," Sasuke snorted.

"How stupid do we look?" Suigetsu sputtered, "Course we did! Besides, Karin is perfect at hiding her chakra for the longest time." He shot her a look that made Sasuke feel much older than he really was.

"So we wanted to stay in Kohona for a while, catch up with you and Juugo," Karin said faintly pink. Sasuke shrugged then tensed.

"Someone's coming," he muttered, "Get outta here. I'll meet you two tomorrow." They nodded and Suigetsu vanished into the trees. Karin hesitated, her scarlet eyes boring into his.

"What happened to your eye?" she said softly. He stared at her for a while. Sasuke knew his blind eye often unnerved people but Karin was too jaded to be frightened by a milky white iris.

"I went insane after they died," he whispered, clenching his hands and staring past her into the dusky forest, "And tried to take it out." She raised a thin eyebrow.

"You're very different," she mused before disappearing after her husband. And just then Naruto came crashing through the trees. Sasuke turned around and instantly activated his Sharingan, survival instinct kicking in before he realized the thing racing toward him was Naruto.

His adopted son was furious and the chakra surrounding him was not human. He had seen this before (a bit of the Kyuubi's chakra had somehow been transferred to the boy) but never had his eyes turned red.  
_**"**_**Sasuke!**_**" **_he roared and thrashed a chakra coil eerily similar to a tail. He lunged at Sasuke but the Jounin easily side-stepped although his skin burned at the proximity to the chakra.

"The hell?!" he shouted stumbling backwards.

"You liar! How dare you even look at me!" Naruto yelled back shaking like a leaf.

"You killed my **PARENTS**!!"

Sasuke felt the world stop and step back, leaving him swirling in the dark.

"Who told you?" he asked distantly. Naruto's crimson eyes narrowed.

"So you don't even deny it?!" he shrieked.

"No. I don't." Sasuke answered flatly. "I will curse myself forever for bearing the responsibility of their deaths."

"That's all you have to say for yourself?!" Naruto roared, "And you dared to evencome near me, let alone raise me?!"

"Yes, I did. I know what it's like to have your family taken by the hands of the one you love most or have you not been taught of the cursed Uchila clan?"

Naruto's eyes slowly faded to a dull emerald.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he wailed. Sasuke's eyes flashed.

"You don't want to know."

"Yes." Naruto snarled, "I do. Tell me _everything_. Now!"

Sasuke felt a smile twist up the corners of his mouth. He hadn't felt like this in years and the rational side of his mind told him to stop, Naruto was just a kid for God's sake, but something had broken in Sasuke a long time ago that no one could ever fix.  
"You want to know," he whispered dangerously, "I'll show you. _Everything_." And then they spun and fell into a dark world where Sasuke is eight years old and discovering the dead bodies of his parents. Naruto screamed in shock as images flashed of a young Sakura, Naruto and the rest of Kohona 11 in the Academy. The first time Team 7 ever met and the bell test like the one Sasuke gave his team. Missions blurred by but Sasuke lingered on the Wave mission before plunging ahead to the Chuunin exams. He showed Naruto's fight with Neji and what he saw of Naruto and Gaara's battle and then to Jiraiya taking Naruto. The encounter with Itachi and Kisame he spent slightly longer than necessary on and then the battle on the hospital roof. Sasuke was proud of Naruto for not even cowering at the sight of his father and foster father nearly killing his mother. The Sound Four appeared next but Sasuke plowed on to the Valley of the End and Naruto's son finally collapsed heavily on the invisible ground, his jade eyes huge and brimming with tears. Sasuke ignored him, but glossed over his years in the Sound because nobody deserved to see what happened there. He showed him the various fights he had with Naruto and the formation of Team Hebi. The Akatsuki appeared briefly but fell soon after. He sped past the war, as Naruto already knew the basics but lingered on the battle of Naruto and Madara. Sasuke nearly showed him what happened that night in a dirty, dingy bar outside what used to be the Sound before regaining his senses. Assuaged by guilt he very nearly stopped but Sasuke never gave up something he started and besides, Naruto deserved to know (almost) everything. So he dragged him through their final battle and Sakura's forgiveness of him before he stopped the genjutsu. Naruto fell down onto the dry leaves, gasping for air. Sasuke staggered against a tree, feeling the drain of chakra and allowed his Sharingan to bleed away. There was silence for a long time and Sasuke began to feel nervous. The sun had nearly set and the trees cast ominous shadows that coiled by his feet. Naruto did not speak for what seemed to be forever and Sasuke didn't move. Finally, the blond raised his head and his hard eyes glinted. He stood up shakily, and his hands clenched into fists. But he just walked away without a word. Sasuke stared after him; his mind filled with static before he realized he probably just wrecked his one chance at salvation and fell to his knees, hitting the grass with a dull thud. His eyes closed and just like that, Sasuke sensed him.

"Well, that went well." And he was there, and Sasuke ached to open his eyes to see his smile one more time, but knew if he did, it would all be over.

"You really shoulda told him before you idiot."

"Shut up Naruto." he growled, trying to keep his heart from beating faster. Naruto laughed and Sasuke could feel his warm breath by his ear.

"Hey, he's my son! Don't know why Sakura let _you_ of all people raise him. Even Ino would have been better!" Sasuke felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth.

"Hn."

"Well, you should, I dunno, maybe go after him?" Naruto muttered, sounding irritated. Sasuke frowned.

"I'll give him some time. He hates me right now and if I go after him, he will most likely try to kill me." he said softly, trying not to show his concern. (Damnit, he did NOT care. Uchihas never got upset.)

"Eh, whatever asshole. Sakura-chan says hi," Naruto said, and Sasuke swore he felt something ruffle his hair.

_God, I must be insane._

But he doesn't care, because at least he can hear him, if just for a bit.

"And Itachi does too," added Naruto, his voice much softer and Sasuke could feel heat next to his right shoulder; the scent of citrus in the air. Sasuke could taste the sun next to him. They were silent for a moment and Sasuke was scared he was gone but could still feel the heat next to him that burned his skin.

"Seriously, are you gonna take care of my kid or not?" his ragged voice came, sounding disgruntled. Sasuke smirked.

"Hn."

"Remember the first time you saw me after I died?" Naruto asked. Sasuke could just see a mischievous grin crossing his tan face that he could still remember after all this time.

"Yes you idiot," he muttered. For years after Naruto died, he had felt something following him, a shadow in the corner, a whisper in the dark, a hot wind that no one else could feel or the image of a fox burning red when he closed his eyes. When he heard Naruto speak to him the first time two months after Sakura died, he flipped and nearly demolished his house with several rapidly fired jutsu.

"I still believe you are a figment of my imagination." he added, uncomfortably shifting his knees on the hard packed dirt. Naruto laughed a throaty deep noise that sent shivers up his spine.

"Psh hardly! I'm more real than you!"

"Yes. You are."

"Jeez Sasuke, sometimes you make no sense," he laughed again, blowing hot air on Sasuke's neck.

"Fuck," the Uchiha snarled and stood up shakily.

"Sasuke don't-" but Sasuke didn't care, he had to see Naruto just for a moment and desperately spun around. But there was nothing behind him, except for the silent trees whose black twisted roots reached for him in the shadow. The sun was gone and the heat that went straight to his bones was gone too. Sasuke cursed angrily and threw a rock into the woods, feeling a ridiculous sense of satisfaction as it bounced off a tree.

. . .

Kohona was dark when he finally wandered back home. He wondered frantically whether Naruto would be there, or at Kakashi's. He hardly blamed the kid for being pissed, hell he was the last person to blame anyone for wanting revenge. But he felt like a monster anyway. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and trudged up the steps, then stopped just before the door. He could sense Naruto's unmistakable chakra. Sasuke took a deep breath and walked into his house. All the lights were off but he could see Naruto on the couch asleep. He leaned against the doorframe, waiting for the boy to wake up. Seconds later he stirred, alerted subconsciously by Sasuke's black chakra that leaked killing intent no matter what. They stared at each for a second, Naruto's green eyes sleepy and confused, and Sasuke's black and white eyes empty.

"Sasuke?' he whispered, running a hand through messy hair. He sat up and pulled his jacket closer to him, looking young and lost.

"Are you frightened of me?" Sasuke said his voice just above a whisper. The room was dark and Sasuke felt the shadow of a snake rise in the back of his mind that craved the feel the boy's blood between his hands. Orochimaru would never really leave him but Sasuke was always fully in control (at least he liked to make himself believe).

"No. No I'm not," Naruto said softly twisting the fraying strands of a blanket. The only noise for a while was the neighbors blaring music and laughing form across the street.

"Would it help if I said I'm sorry?" Sasuke finally asked when the silence got too long even for him. Naruto grinned rather humorlessly.

"Nah, not really."

"Well, I am sorry. More than you'll ever know." The way he said it with no emotion was almost comical except for he was more serious than he had ever been in his life.

"Yeah. I can't imagine losing Rai or Tukiko, let alone both of them."

"So. Are you leaving?" Sasuke finally managed to get out, "I would hardly blame you if you did. Although I'd rather you wouldn't. Your mother left you to me and I promised to take care of you. Besides, it would get a bit too quiet around here without you kid." Naruto smiled for real.

"Wow Sasuke, coming from you that's practically like an 'I love you son'," he teased, stretching out his legs. Sasuke rolled his eyes but cracked a tiny grin. He flicked on the lights and when he turned back around Naruto was standing up with his arms crossed and a frown on his face.

"But," he said darkly, "We haven't finished this conversation. You are going to tell me everything about my parents and I get to kick your ass in a training session. Got it?"

Sasuke let a bigger smile slip through his calm facade.

"Yeah, you deserve that at least."

Naruto grinned again in a familiar way that made his heart clench painfully and the blond turned around heading upstairs, mumbling to himself.

"Oh and Sasuke?"

The Jounin paused, suddenly wary.

"What?"

"I've decided you need a wife."

Sasuke choked and spluttered and turned bright red to his intense humiliation. He was going to be married by the end of the summer. When Naruto made up his mind, absolutely nothing could change it. But Sasuke had to wonder who Naruto had in mind. He wouldn't have minded Karin, but she was married . . . Hinata would have been more than alright with him but she was happily married with three kids . . . Sasuke frowned bah, what was he thinking? He did _not_ need some _kid_ hooking him up with a woman! He was Sasuke Uchiha damnit!

He sighed.

Fuck. He was a social retard. And his adopted son was going to hook him up with some chick because he was so pathetic when it came to human beings and social interactions.

Well, at least Naruto had good taste.

. . . . .

A/N: *Can they flashstep in Naruto? I dunno. And I don't know how to make line breaks either lol.


End file.
